


"You don't need to protect me"

by geekgirl



Series: One Direction Drabbles [7]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon, M/M, Pining Zayn, dramatics with sappy ending, irrationally angry and reckless Louis, protector zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 07:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4597869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekgirl/pseuds/geekgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis storms out of a meeting and Zayn goes after him to calm him down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"You don't need to protect me"

**Author's Note:**

> This was prompted to me on tumblr with "You don't need to protect me." This story really got away from me and I'm not sure how it turned into this but the reactions to it were fairly positive? Please enjoy!

The rooftop wind cuts at Zayn’s face and fingers but he can’t go back inside. Not when Louis is in a mood. He’d stormed out of their meeting with their manager when he brought up yet another restriction for them while on tour. Louis was right, mandatory curfew was going too far. They were still young and needed some time to actually experience that. 

But Louis had stormed out, fist clenched and face blotchy with premature anger, before anyone could voice their disagreement. They all knew this anger. Louis tended to speak his mind and even yell in his stubbornness but this type of anger was irrational and scary. 

Zayn is always the one to brave the storm. 

“Lou, come back inside. No one is gonna force ya to a curfew.”

“Thats not what its about Zee. They just think they can fuck us over and I’m sick of it.”

“You’re not making any sense. Come inside. Its fucking freezing.” 

The wind whips at Louis’ hair as he paces, unfazed by the cold, still running off this bizarre adrenaline. He is nearly running with how fiercely he is pacing. He even nearly trips twice but he doesn’t stop. 

“Its all about image to them. Can’t have us out too late screwing up the perfect image for them. Gotta make the pounds and shit.” 

“Fuck Louis. You think I don’t know about forced image? You’re not the only one in this but you’re the only one who storms out of meetings.” Zayn would call Louis his best friend and he thinks thats mutual. He knows how to handle Louis. But maybe its a bit too cold for him to think properly because Louis spins around even more in a right fit. 

“Why did you come out here?” 

“To bring your ass back inside, you twat.” 

“But why did you?” His voice is high and raspy as he stares at Zayn. He’s stopped pacing but Zayn wishes he’d start again because he swears he sees something snap in Louis’ eyes. 

“I don’t need you here.” And louis turns away from and runs to the edge of the building pausing only briefly to look at the busy night below. Then he places his hands on the low wall and hoists himself up until he’s standing on the edge, several stories above the ground. 

“Louis! What the fuck are you doing?” Zayn feels his own voice go shrill with sudden fear. 

“I can do this on my own!” He yells back but Zayn isn’t sure Louis knows what he’s babbling about anymore. His arms are stretched wide like he’s trying to take up as much space as he can. 

“Of course you can. Just like, come down, yeah?” Zayn lamely offers his hand to Louis. 

“You don’t need to protect me.” Louis says. His voice is still raspy and filled with emotion but its not as hysterical. 

“No one’s trying to protect you Louis. I’m not here to save you but I might need to if you don’t come down from there.” 

“Then what are you doing here? I don’t need saving Zayn.” 

“I’m your fucking friend. You deserve someone to tell you you’re being a nutter and for some damn reason I choose to do that.” 

Louis drops his arms and looks at Zayn, jarred from his anger to looked surprised. He suddenly looks limp and defeated and Zayn worries he’s about to topple over backwards. 

“Oh.” 

“Oh? Is this news to you? Have I not called you insane enough lately?

“No. Its just- never mind.” 

Louis hops down from the wall, not looking at Zayn any more. Zayn knows he’s embarrassed because while standing on the wall is new the rest is routine. Louis often gets a complex that it is him against the world but he always snaps back after several minutes. Zayn is always there to catch him when he crashes. 

Louis stumbles forward and finds his way into Zayn’s embrace. Finally Zayn can breath properly again. 

“You are a nutter sometimes,” Zayn whispers into his hair. 

“Shut up. I know.” 

“And I am your friend too,” Zayn says. He wants to add that the rest of the boys are too but he suddenly feels possessive. He doesn’t want anyone else’s arms around Louis. Its selfish but Zayn has always been a bit selfish especially when it comes to Louis. 

“I know that too,” Louis says, burring his face into Zayn even more and it hits Zayn how intimate the moment is. He’s never seen Louis embrace anyone else like this. Maybe Louis doesn’t want to be in anyone else’s arms either. 

“Wanna ditch the rest of the meeting?” 

“Fuck, I’m not going back in there. Are you mad?” 

Zayn laughs and pushes Louis away to take his hands and lead them inside. Louis squeezes Zayn’s hand lightly in thanks. Zayn squeezes back because when it comes to Louis Zayn is always lost for words.


End file.
